Most of us know that spending time outside is so much better for us than staying inside for our physical and mental health. Sunlight and fresh air have restorative benefits that we should take advantage of. A lot of people love going to the beach or mountains during summer since the kids are out of school.

Parasailing was one of the fun things to do at the resort.

My daughter and I spent one week in June in a beautiful resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. We spent our days at the beach and the pool. Digging your feet in the sand actually stimulates your nerves. During the hottest part of the days we just hung out in our room, we also had our own pool in our balcony with ocean view. The days were also spent trying out an assortment of food from many fancy restaurants. It was a fun experience for both of us.

It was a surprise to me that there weren’t a lot of seagulls at the beach. The majority of the birds I saw were brown pelicans.

This seagull seems to be saying “Go away! This is mine!”

What we did that we enjoyed the most was watching the sunset while swimming at the pool. It was very relaxing. And the sunsets at Bandera Bay were so beautiful. The colors were magnificent.

Peaceful way to end the day.

Throughout the day, a few sailboats and motorboats go by. This was taken from the balcony of my room.

The waves get high.

Usually, when I take photos of a scene that includes strangers who actually enhance the scene, if possible I make sure that they are not identifiable in my photos. This is mainly because I myself don’t want to appear in other people’s photos without my permission. It’s my way of respecting their privacy the same way I want to be respected.

Just a few people swimming and watching the sunset. I have observed that there were more people walking along the beach in the morning, mostly runners and joggers. I prefer walks during sunset.

Happy Earth Dayeveryone! Today the world celebrates the Earth. Many events are happening globally to demonstrate efforts to protect and sustain our beautiful planet and its inhabitants.

As my way of celebrating this special day, I created this image as a symbol that humans and nature are interconnected. With our actions to promote sustainability in our everyday lives, we can help our planet from its further degradation.

Earth Day 2016

There’s a saying that goes “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” The lives of the future generation is at stake. We must do something now!

Early this year, I accidentally dropped my mirrorless camera right before going to the venue of my parents 50th anniversary party. I was mad at myself and disappointed because I was supposed to use it for taking videos during that special event. But as I always do, when I have important places to go to, I always bring two bodies with me so that I have a backup, and this practice served me well.

My Sony NEX 6 still turns on, but it couldn’t recognize the lens anymore. When I returned home, I tried attaching my Nikon lens using an adapter and the camera was able to recognize it. So it was just the lens that broke and not the camera which was a big relief for me.

Exactly one week from now, I will be celebrating my sixth year in digital SLR photography. It was on February 4, 2010 when I received my very first DSLR – a new Nikon D3000 as a birthday present from my husband and my daughter. It wasn’t a surprise. I knew I was going to get it because I requested for it. I had been anxiously waiting for it in the mail.

I owe my introduction to the wonderful world of photography from my brother Alex. He used to have a SLR camera and shot with it occasionally. During Christmas break of 2014, he brought his new Nikon D3000 camera with him when he came to visit. I was so curious and kept asking him questions so he let me borrow it. I remember my very first shot was not good at all. I didn’t know how to make the camera work – I didn’t even know the proper way to hold it. I didn’t know what all the buttons and dials were for and what the numbers meant. I didn’t even know how to focus properly even though it was set on auto focus 🙂 But as I kept firing the shutter, I got more and more curious. I asked my brother if he will give me his new camera, but my pleading didn’t work.

This year, I am participating again the Pflugerville Photography Exhibit at the Pflugerville Public Library. This is a great way to showcase the work of talented local photographers who are passionate about their craft. I have four photos on display. Three of which were printed on 16″ x 20″ canvas, while the other one was printed on a 20″ x 24″ metal.

On display at the Pflugerville Library – Len Bishop Photography

The exhibit will run from October 4 to November 18, 2015. So if you are in the area, I am inviting you to browse through the photos at the library. And if you’ve already been there, thank you for visiting. Now go tell your family and friends about it. This will help spread the word, and hopefully will get other photographers to join the exhibit next year.